Is it possible to implement this, similar to Corona?
To typically enhance sub-surface scattering for foliage?
In V-Ray, itâs called VRaySSS2 RE.
âThin walledâ seems to be the reason why the SSS2 renders black.
I click it âonâ as I use translucency only on foliage, not solid objects?
I was just about to write the same. Yes, but SSS works for solid objects (as in the real world), where light scatters inside the volume. Thin-walled is generally meant for very thin refractive surfaces (like bubbles).
Leaves in cg are usually done with two-sided materials, where the transluceny âblendsâ between them to create the semi-transparent effect, whereas SSS is for skin, candles, etc.
You can download a Chaos Cosmos plant and explore how the leaves are done there for reference.
So, as I gather, the SSS2 RE wonât work for foliage translucency - whether I use a two-sided material or the âthin-walledâ optionâŚ
Corona picks up the âthin-walledâ translucency.
Which âleavesâ me with the same request?
Mind if you send me the scene (or tell me which particular Cosmos asset that is) so I can see if I can make it work? Testing with another plant, I seem to get the SSS2 info, even though âthin-walledâ is active. Maybe in your case itâs just very dark?
Thereâs actually another topic adressing the same issue here. You may try the LPE workaround suggested by Lele in post #15.
Otherwise, Iâll raise the question to the PMs again.
Translucency Test-01.zip (9.9 MB)
LPE sounds way above my pay grade!
Thanks. Well, based on what I tested, the C<RD>.*L expression seems to be closest to a translucency element; however, it would be very tedious to work with since that info is already âbakedâ in the Lighting/GI elements, plus it needs to affect only certain materials (those with thin-walled = on and translucency).
The 3ds Max PM told me to discuss the matter with the devs, so Iâll do that. Since Corona has a solution, maybe we can borrow it.
The devs discussed this with Vlado and he has another idea: Rather than having a separate TranslucencyRE (to avoid too much render elements), have front/back âmodesâ for the Lighting/GI elements. In your scenario, the info from the thin-walled option would go into back Lighting, while the SSS translucency goes into back GI.
How does this sound?
Hi Aleksandar, that sounds interesting.
Not sure if I understand the workflow -
Could you perhaps send me a small tutorial?
Itâs just an idea (nothing implemented yet).
Just imagine that the VRayLighting and VRayGlobalIllumination elements have three modes: full, back, and front.
Full mode would capture front and back lighting/gi. Fron/back would capture, respectively, front/back lighting/gi.
In your case, in practice, you would need to add two VRayLighting and two GI elements (one pair for front, one pair for back lighting/gi) to get the thin-walled and SSS translucency info separately.